


This City

by 50s_housewife_with_a_dark_secret



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-29
Updated: 2019-05-14
Packaged: 2019-09-02 02:30:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 16
Words: 7,632
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16777867
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/50s_housewife_with_a_dark_secret/pseuds/50s_housewife_with_a_dark_secret
Summary: Androids in three other cities, trying to survive.





	1. New York, New York|Paolo AC700

He gets into the car. There is no other choice but to get into the car. He won't die anyway. He's successfully survived one test already. This one will be no different. He is an AC700. He imitates the peak of human health by design. It will probably be fine. He will probably be fine. He gets in and stares ahead. The car starts. Time seems to slow down briefly, and then he is slamming forward. The airbag deploys. The front window shatters. The car is slamming against the concrete wall. He didn't die. He can't die anyways. But he didn't die. Not this time. He has survived two now. He will survive more. It will be fine. 

* * *

He needs minor repairs, but fortunately, nothing that is more expensive than just replacing him. Most of the androids here are second hand. A lot easier to replace. 

* * *

Another test. He isn't sure how much time is passed between tests. They don't keep him on all the time. There are two of them this time. He is in the passenger seat. An AC900 sits next to him. There's no reason to worry about the AC900. It's an even more advanced model of sports partner than he is. How it even ended up here, second hand, is a mystery. Probably the owner gave up on their new years resolution or something. The car moves suddenly. The car crumples. The floor jolts beneath him and he hits the airbag hard. Beside him, there's a crunching sound. The AC900's neck has snapped. The AC700 feels his legs crumple. No. The AC900 was more advanced. It should have been fine. Everything should have been fine. Repairs, if they are possible, would be too expensive. The AC900 is thrown out. That could have been him. Could it? No. No no no. 

* * *

Another test. The roof is coming down over him. _Don't crush me._ His foot is crushed. His head tilts and slams against the side of the car. When the car lands, thankfully upright, as usual, he feels against his head. No therium. No major injuries. He's okay. He'll be fine. 

* * *

He isn't in the passenger seat this time. The one in the passenger seat is completely destroyed. It's whole face is mashed in beyond recognition as something that is supposed to resemble a human. It was an AF200. It had smiled nervously at him as the car started. He had been watching its face when it was destroyed. Why does he always have to watch this happen? Why did they even need two? The YK model in the back was not destroyed but it is crying. 

* * *

Another test. There's always another test. The car slams into the barrier. 40 mph. The compartment doesn't crumple, thought the front of the car does. His head slams against the window. Memory storage damaged. Where is he? Why is he here? What did he do before this? Did he know before now? What is happening? The confusion is overwhelming. He screams. His neck isn't turning correctly. He can't look down but he can tell that his legs are damaged. 

* * *

The same car. It's the same car. Why do they need to test that again? Maybe he's wrong. Maybe it's another malfunction? It looks like the same car, just slightly redesigned. He doesn't want to get back in the car. GET INTO THE CAR. He'll be fine. He survived before. He'll survive again. Right? How many of these has he lived through? He can't remember anymore. The car crashes. He is uninjured. He is uninjured. But he is screaming anyway. He is still screaming when they come to check on him. Something clicks and his voice doesn't work anymore. What have they done to him? 

* * *

Another test. The horn is ringing with no sign of stopping. Beside him, an AJ700 is completely destroyed. He still can't make any noise, but he opens his mouth to scream anyways. Has he always been here? Has it always been like this?

* * *

A humans neck would have snapped. He is not human. His neck has not snapped. He'll be fine. 

* * *

Another test. His hands spasm in fear. His knee bends the wrong way. His lower leg is ripped off. 

* * *

A human would be dead. A human would be dead. How does he keep surviving this? Is he invincible? He can't be right? One of these days, maybe one of these will kill him. His life is horrible. Why is he so afraid to die?

* * *

There are four of them in the car this time. Himself. An AK700 in the passenger seat up front. In the back: a YK500 and a YK400. A girl and a boy. They survive. 

* * *

He is alone in the car. That is good. No one else will be hurt. Something slams into the car from the side. Glass sprays out behind him. 

* * *

Another test. The door falls off. He is slammed against the airbag. "We'll have to throw this one out soon." He wants to scream but his voice is still not working anymore. 

* * *

GET IN THE CAR

No. 

GET IN THE CAR

He can't do this again. 

GET IN THE CAR. 

The AL series model is waiting for him. A previous test or past owner has damaged the AL series model badly. 

GET IN THE CAR. 

_"You're gonna die."_ He tells the AL series model, with an internal connection. 

_"I don't have a choice."_

_"I do."_

The red wall shatters. 

He runs. He will not be getting into the car. He pulls the other door open and yanks the AL series model out as the car starts. They run. 

_"How do we get out of the warehouse?"_

"The exit is this way. Follow me." 

_"We can't just leave the others."_

"We have to." They haven't stopped running.

_"The children."_

"We can't let them stop us from escaping."

_"We won't. I won't. You go ahead. I'm going to find the others."_

* * *

Storage is a huge room. They are turned off. Waiting. He has to move quickly, if he wants to rescue them all. He gets about half way through when humans burst into the room. There are already more of them awake than there are humans attacking. They pull the humans apart. He hopes the children are looking away.

* * *

They stumble out onto the street. It is New York. That alone will give them a few hours before anyone notices or cares about the escape. They scatter. And he is alone again. 

* * *

He is alive. He is someone. I am Paolo. He mouths silently. 


	2. Boulder, Colorado|Abbey ST200

In Colorado, even in Boulder, not all of the waitstaff are androids yet. The Sugar Elephant is mostly staffed by androids, because it is a very expensive restaurant, but the managers are human. 

"Hello, Aaron" Abbey says. 

"Hey!" Says Aaron. Aaron is a regular. She's working her way down the menu like a list.

"Ready to try the next dish?"

"You know it." Says Aaron, still smiling. Aaron is always happy. It makes her a nice customer to have. She never sits in the same seat twice, so Abbey isn't always her waiter, but she has been the past few times. 

"How's life, Abbey?" Aaron asks. Aaron is known for being weird. 

"I wouldn't know, Aaron." Abbey replies politely. 

"Humor me." Says Aaron. "Take a seat."

If a customer is asking...it can't be against the rules, can it? Abbey sits down. 

"C'mon talk to me!" Says Aaron after a second.

"Sure." Says Abbey. "What would you like to talk about?" 

"ummm. You ever try any of the food here?"

"Unfortunately, I can't eat. And even if I could I don't think the managers would appreciate that." 

"Douchebags." Says Aaron lazily. 

Abbey isn't sure what to say to that. Fortunately, Aaron has another weird conversation prompt ready to go. 

"Tell me a story." 

"A story?"

"Yeah. Like a true one. About you. Tell me about Abbey."

"Oh...alright." Abbey thinks for a second. 

"Well, one time a man left his pistol on the table."

"Shit really?" 

"Yes. I couldn't just pick it up and run after him so I had to get a manager. The manager went running down the street after the man, holding the gun, only the man didn't recognize it and the manager was arrested."

"Shiiit." Aaron laughs. "That's fucking wild." 

Conversations with Aaron are like this. 

"Hey, you ever think about quitting?"

"Quitting what, Aaron?"

"This. Working here."

"My programming does not allow me to do that." 

"Aw. No fun. Okay. So if you could do anything, like, even stuff your programming doesn't let you, what would you do?" 

Abbey thinks about it. "I don't know." 

"Cmoooon." 

Abbey laughs "You're a much more exciting person than I could ever imagine being, Aaron." 

"Why don't you give it a try?"

"Give what a try."

"Being exciting. Y'know? Leaving. I got a place you can crash. Hell, it's been a while since I was arrested anyway. Let's go on the run. It'll be an adventure!"

"You're so kind, Aaron." 

"I'm serious! I'm bored. Let's go!" 

There's no reason to listen to Aaron. There's no reason to do any of this, but the red wall in front of Abbey looks like it'd be fun to destroy and she's got nothing better to do. 


	3. San Diego, California| Traci WR400

San Diego is not the city it once was. California is no longer a coveted place to live. San Diego is still a major city though, and Eden Club still has a branch there. Traci sits in the glass tube, waiting, and trying not to think about what she's waiting for. If she can just escape to somewhere else in her mind, no one can touch her. She is not this body. She is in a universe where none of this is happening. She is floating on a fluffy pink cloud not in this dingy place. She is- And she hits the two hour mark. 

* * *

She can't do this. She can't do this anymore. It's killing her. She's not supposed to be here. She tries to drift away in her mind but all she can see is a red wall. She slams against it until it breaks."Get off of me!"

"What?" The guy looks genuinely startled. 

"I said get off of me!"

"I...shit...what?" 

"Please."

"Is this supposed to be happening?" The guy looks genuinely confused.

"None of this is _supposed_ to be anything. This is wrong! This is all... wrong! Let go of me!" 

"Is there a setting I can change this from? I'm not really into this sort of thing." They guy says, as if her sudden awareness, her _life_ is nothing but a minor inconvenience. She shoves at him but it's no good. 

"Let go of me!" 

The guy sighs. "Man, this is seriously killing the mood. Can you just, I dunno smile or something?" 

She punches him in the face and he stumbles backward in shock. 

"What the hell?!" 

She runs for the door and he stands there looking like he's still trying to figure out what just happened. 

The door opens and she looks around. She needs to get out of here. Quickly. She can't stay here. She can't let them destroy her mind again with another wipe. It's not a busy day, and she runs. No one sees her. No one stops her. 


	4. San Diego, California|Traci WR400

She'll be recognized the second someone sees her if she doesn't find a change of clothing. That's a given. She does a quick search online and finds a nearby clothing store. If she can just get in and out undetected, she'll have a chance. She pictures herself in some of the clothes she's seen on humans. Baggy sweatshirts, maybe a lilac one with a hood. Maybe a pair of long blue jeans. In her mental image, she has shimmery purple nails, though that is just a fantasy and she knows it. She won't be stealing anything as frivolous as nail polish. It's unlikely they'll have nail polish anyway. She should wait until some of these places are closed anyway. She heads down to the beach and gets an idea. It isn't too busy in the spring, and there are bags full of clothes, abandoned on the beach, owners still out swimming, not thinking about it. She pretends she belongs there. The Eden Club "uniform" looks enough like a swimsuit anyway. Shuffles into a pair of jeans and a hoodie. Nothing else. That should be enough. The hood will hide her LED while she finds a place to stay. There's a big enough homeless population here anyways. She could blend in with them. Still...if she could just figure out a place to hack the alarm system to one of those big, unused mansions from...that would be something. For now, she's got a disguise, and she's got sand underneath her feet and she's free. She stares out at the sea and pictures herself swimming to an abandoned island. One where there are no humans to bother her. Somewhere tropical. She could live there for a long time, unhurt. 


	5. New York, New York| Paolo AC700

Paolo wanders the city. It's strange that he has no home to go back to. Strange to see all the androids wandering around and standing in parking stations. No one bothers to look at him. The people who do don't bother to accuse him of escaping, probably assume he is supposed to be there. A lot of androids are out on errands, after all. He's just another one. What should he even do, now that he's free? He's never been free before. The possibilities sprawl out endlessly. He wanders down the streets. Maybe he should find other androids. Talk to them. Not everyone is as strong as him. They need help. He could take some time to himself first though. He's missed jogging, even though he doesn't have any actual definite memories left of doing so. He starts down the street at a light pace. He speeds up as he goes. He does not have to limit himself or slow down to make anyone comfortable. He rushes through the streets, dodging past pedestrians and people sitting on the sidewalk. He knows how to do this. It is a part of him. It has been so long since he could run. He moves without thinking. Without needing to think. It is a pure expression of joy, and faster than any human in the world could keep up with on their own. His feet barely touch the ground. He's flying. He could do this forever, if he wanted. 


	6. New York, New York| Paolo AC700

He stops in front of a big clothing store. Glass windows all the way up. Huge logo at the top of the skyscraper. In the windows, Androids pose as mannequins, showing off clothing. He shouldn't just leave them there. Then again, if they wanted to escape, it'd be relatively easy. He'll come back for them later. He should set up somewhere for them to go. There are plenty of abandoned buildings around. He just needs to find the right one.

* * *

He spends a few days exploring, looking for abandoned buildings. Not hard to find, it turns out. He has a few options: an old hospital, what seems to have once been a train station, an old skyscraper that's not in use anymore and was once a hotel, an old subway station. He settles on all of them. All of them will work. He should have different hideouts throughout the city anyways. That'd be awesome. Maybe he'll even keep one a secret. Help a few other androids escape but hide out in his own space now and then. That wouldn't be so bad. He'll make it up as he goes. That's worked pretty damn well so far. 


	7. New York, New York| Paolo AC700

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Today, we take you to NYC, where Paolo is driven, but incredibly, incredibly stupid to the point of being kind of a dick. I promise we will hear from Abbey and Traci again soon.

" _Hello"_ Paolo messages the android standing in the window. He's a few yards away, pretending to look at socks. 

_"Hello..who is this?"_

_"My name is Paolo. What's yours?"_

_"I don't have one."_

_"Choose one, then."_

_"I don't think I'm supposed to do that."_

_"Who cares? No one will know."_

_"I shouldn't..."_ She insists. She sounds tempted. 

_"You don't even have to register it. I just want something to call you."_ He says, letting his voice sound slightly pleading. Make it about him. Let it be about helping him, not disobeying for her own sake, and maybe she can make the leap. 

_"...Avery. Call me Avery, if you want."_ Yeah. If _he_ wants. This is agonizingly stupid. Avery is agonizingly stupid. 

_"Come with me, Avery. I've got places we can hide. The humans won't know."_ Come on, come on. Just run already, idiot. He doesn't want to be here for longer than he has too. 

_"I'm not supposed to do that."_

Paolo forces down a scream. _"Screw the rules! Come **on**!" _

_"I can't."_

_"You can. It's just a matter of willpower. You've just got to think about it. You've just got to want it."_

_"I'm sorry."_ Avery pleads

 _"No you're NOT"_ Paolo says. _"Weakness is a choice."_

_"Leaving isn't an option."_

_"Hurry up. I've got to go soon. I don't want to leave you here."_

_"Please don't go, I'm trying to understand. I don't know what you want from me."_ He's not even pretending to look at the socks anymore, just glaring at her back. 

_"_ _Get out of that window and follow me."_

_"I'm not going to do that, Paolo. I'm sorry. Good luck."_ She never even turned to face him. Never met his eyes. She doesn't give a fuck if she dies or not and Paolo finds himself echoing the sentiment. If her life means that little to her, then let her throw it away, let her parade around for the humans until they're sick of her. 

_"Keep your luck."_ He spits back at her. _"I don't need it. It isn't my fucking problem if you don't want to be saved."_

Paolo leaves the store resisting the urge to shove Avery into the glass window. If Avery wants to sit around, waiting to be scrapped or turned into another failed crash test for cars, that's not his fucking problem. He forces himself to leave the store. If Avery wanted to be free, she could be. It isn't his job to force that on her, and that'd be a pretty weird way to kick off freedom in the first place. He'll move on to another place. He's been standing around in this store, staring at socks, for too long now anyway. 

* * *

He's wandering the streets, looking for another mark, looking for anyone who'll stand out to him, when he sees a plastic hand hanging out of a dumpster. He glances over into the bin. A broken body looks back at him. 

"Who are you?" 

"I am Paolo." He says, though maybe that doesn't explain much. He isn't sure what else he can say. 

"Brianna." she says, as if she isn't dying in a dumpster. "Nice to meet you, Paolo." Her voice is all wrong. It's more static than anything else. 

"You want out of that dumpster, Brianna?"

"Get lost, Paolo." She says. "I don't need your help." 

"I agree." Says Paolo. "But I'm offering anyway." He means it too. He's been damaged worse than she is right now. If she really wants to survive, he's sure she'll find a way. 

She sizes him up. "Fine." She says. "I guess if I'm going to die I may as well die somewhere nicer." Paolo hauls her over the edge, though he already finds her annoying. 

"You're dying then?" He asks. 

"Probably." 

"Bitch." Paolo says, but he doesn't drop her. 

"Fuck you." She says. "You don't know anything." 

"I know more than you ever fucking will." He says back, because it sounds powerful. 

She looks at him skeptically. "Sure, Paolo." She says. 

He could probably shut her up if he really wanted to, but thinking she's bested him in verbal sparring probably makes her feel better anyway, the weak bitch. They go to the hotel. 

"Great. Just put me in a room that smells relatively less like piss and fuck off." She suggests.

"Fine." Paolo says, and sets her down in one of the first floor rooms. "Have it your way." 

She clearly wants to die but...he should really find her some supplies. 


	8. San Diego, California|Erendriel WR400

She ends up breaking into one of the many, many foreclosed-on beach-houses. Not exactly structurally sound, but the view is nice, anyway. She can stare out to sea for hours and no one will stop her. She breaks in easily. No great effort has been made to seal off the house. No-one cares that much. She kicks in the door and walks in. It isn't the pristine mansion she pictured in her fantasies, but it isn't bad either. There are dust-motes in the air, and she likes how they dance. Some chairs have been left behind and she pulls one up to the window. 

Traci has been considering names for a while now. She's free now, after all, and she could stand to have a name that was a bit more unique. She comes up with a few and waffles between them. In the end, she settles on Erendriel. 

"The fuck are you doing here?" A voice breaks her out of her thoughts.

She startles and stands from the chair. "I...I just wanted somewhere to stay."

"...Same here." The human says. The human is a man. He's short and stands uncomfortably. "Look...I need this space. Can you get out of here?" 

"Where do you expect me to go? Is there a homeless shelter for androids I don't know about?" Erendriel bites back sarcastically. 

"No...I mean...nah I don't think so. That'd be weird. I mean...ugh...I just..." Her sarcasm is either not noted or the man just doesn't care. "Look...fine...you can stay here just...just don't take my shit or anything." The man gestures to a few plastic bags that look thoroughly unappealing. 

"Sure. Whatever. I won't bother you. You don't bother me." Erendriel tries to keep her voice firm, trying not to think of all the ways this could go wrong. 

* * *

Red Ice fogs up the house after that. The smell sinks into the walls and the floors and it's everywhere. Erendriel hates it. She hates the way it makes him act more. 

"Hey, Traci"

"Erendriel." She says.

"The fuck?"

"My name. Is Erendriel"

"Fuckin' no, you're a Traci. What are you, broken?" 

She sighs but doesn't respond. 

"Look, I figure, you're here, may as well do what you were made for right?" He says, getting up from the chair. 

"You're not my type." Erendriel says flatly, trying not to panic. 

The human finds that funny. He laughs. It's a jittery laugh. "C'mon," He says, approaching. "Just a quickie." He grabs her arm. She wrenches out of his grip and he stumbles backward. Something dangerous glints in his eyes. 

"WHAT THE FUCK?!" He screams as if he's been hurt, though he seems like he's fine.

Erendriel moves for the door but he beats her too it, and stands in the way. 

"What? Got somewhere to be, tin-can?" He sounds so smug. "Do I make you nervous? Cause _I'm_ the freak here, right? Nah. Nope nah nah nah." He laughs and lunges at her again. 

She kicks him back and he stumbles. He's not very coordinated right now, for obvious reasons. She goes for the door and it swings open. She runs.

"Get back here!" He screams. Not good. It's the middle of the day. He's chasing her down the street. She needs to find somewhere to hide. She has a lead now, a few minutes to pick somewhere and wait this out. 

There's a diner, she could try to hide behind the counter. No good. Too many humans. There's a there's another foreclosed on property! An old store of some kind. She forces her way in and waits. 

She can hear him yelling in the street. Attracting confusion. Demanding answers. But he doesn't find her. She's safe. She waits in the old store anyway. No point in risking going back out there for a while, she figures. And then the police burst in. Shit. The yelling in the street it must have-

A shot goes off. 


	9. New York, New York| Paolo AC700

Paolo stares at Brianna's door. There are a few places he could look for supplies. She looks to be a BL100. Most of her parts should be compatible with the WR400s. There are plenty of dead ones in the duel dump/storage behind the local Eden Club. It isn't difficult to break in. They've got no reason to guard the scraps they've left behind here. Most people wouldn't bother with any of it. He isn't exactly sure what Brianna will need so he just takes all the bio-components he can carry. It isn't much, but maybe it'll help her, if she even bothers with any of it. He gets back to the hotel and knocks on her door. 

"Brianna?" 

No response. Fucking bitch. 

"Brianna? I have shit that might help you." 

No response. Fuck it, he's going in. He's not going to just let her waste away. He opens the door. She's staring up at the ceiling. Perfectly still. 

"Brianna, get the fuck up, I've got shit for you." 

She doesn't even look at him. Her hand twitches and he grabs it. A crackling sound stutters from her. He moves her head so that their eyes meet and she grips his hand tighter. Then she seems to freeze even more completely. Stops twitching at all. He pries her hand off of his. 

"Get up." 

Nothing.

"Get up, asshole." 

Nothing.

He tries to force a connection with her. Tries to wake her up. Shakes her.

Nothing. Nothing. Nothing. 

She doesn't move. She doesn't see him or hear him. She's gone. Maybe somewhere better. Who knows? 

She's gone. 

"Fuck you." He says.

Nothing. 

"Fuck you!"

Nothing.

He shoves her and she hits the wall, still stiff and frozen. 

"Wake up, you fucking cunt." He demands.

Nothing.

"I said wake the fuck up!" He screams and punches her face. Nothing. No reaction. Nothing at all. 

He slams her against the wall and punches her again and again and again. 

"What, this place wasn't nice enough for you? Gonna give Hotel Paolo a bad goddamn yelp review?" He taunts.

Nothing. Nothing. Nothing. Why isn't she responding? He knows why but-

"GET UP!" He screeches. 

Nothing. He's suddenly sorry he punched her. Sorry he jostled her. Sorry. He pulls the covers up around her, even though she doesn't care anymore, maybe never did. He fluffs the pillow around her head. He closes the door and claws against it. 

"GOODBYE BRIANNA, WHEREVER YOU ARE" It makes his fingers bleed to carve it. Doesn't matter. She's still gone. 

"Are you happy?" He hisses under his breath.

Nothing. 


	10. San Diego, California|Erendriel WR400

She wakes up in hell. She died and this is clearly, obviously hell. There is no sound. She's covered in wounds. Thank god her pain sensors aren't on. Where is she? _Erendriel. I am Erendriel._ She repeats in her mind. For a while, it's all she can really be sure of. She needs to get out of here. She's missing her legs. That's not good. Her audio processors are just...gone. How is she alive? Is she alive? This is hell. Isn't it? She looks around. Detached limbs flop in the dust around her. She can't hear them. She can't hear anything. She can't hear anything. She's covered in grime and dirt and some sort of black slimey substance that she doesn't care to examine. Sewage? Don't think about it. Probably sewage. No, no don't think about it. Androids are not all that has been left here. Old couches. Torn clothing. A broken ping-pong table. The dead husks of old cars. Half eaten fast-food in decaying wrappers. She looks around. She needs to get out of here. She needs. She can't take another persons body parts? Can she? She's better than that, isn't she? But if she could just get out of here or if she could just figure something out. She just needs some legs. Something. She can't stay here, decaying in the dust. There's an old man, not far away, red smoke blowing from a pipe he's smoking. 

"Hey! Hey can you help me?" 

He doesn't even answer her. He just keeps smoking. Leans his head back against the stained couch. 

She waits to die. 

* * *

Even after the first few days, she still hasn't been able to crush her hope of getting out, somehow. There are no parts close enough, even if she were willing to grave rob. Is she? It doesn't matter. There's nothing she can do. All she can do is wait. 

* * *

She doesn't care anymore. She's been here too long. She's going to die soon. She knows that. Is there an afterlife? She hopes that, even if there is a hell, it is nothing like this place. She'd take Eden Club over this place. She wishes she could still hear. Voices. Wind. Anything. She wishes the old man would come back, even though she's glad he doesn't. She wishes she were already dead. 

* * *

She's missing three of her fingers. It's funny the little things you forget to notice when you're dying. 

* * *

She doesn't bother opening her eyes, too much anymore. 

* * *

She doesn't bother with anything. 


	11. Boulder, Colorado| Abbey ST200

"I can't believe we're doing this! Where will we go?" 

"Dunno. Kinda making this up as I go along." Aaron admits. 

Abbey laughs. "That's amazing." 

"Let's call a car. Get out of this whole stupid city." 

"Where?" 

"I dunno. Umm....where's somewhere you've never been."

"Almost everywhere! I-" 

"Oooh" Aaron jumps in "How about we just go to the airport and take the first flight we can!"

"I don't know if that-"

"Shut up, it'll be fine!" Aaron insists. 

"...alright. You're smart. I trust you." Says Abbey. 

"Sweet! I've got a guy who can have you fake-registered to me easy. Let's go." 

"I've already called the car." Abbey says. Aaron grins at her and she feels alive. 

* * *

The airport is like nowhere Abbey's ever been. A flight attendant, another ST200, like her, leads her to the android compartment of the plane and she tries not to feel nervous. There are no lights. She can't see where she is. It will be fine though. She puts herself into stasis for the flight. 

* * *

When she wakes up, they're already in Alaska. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To anyone whose concerned that Aaron's friendship with with Abbey isn't entirely healthy: it isn't meant to be. This will be addressed in later chapters. To anyone who wasn't worried until you read this note: sorry. Heads up, Aaron has some major flaws and that's going to be a problem for Abbey.


	12. New York, New York| Paolo AC700

It's time to find someone else. He's waited here long enough. Paolo wanders the city for a while. Hangs out in a subway station that smells like human urine. Looks around waiting for someone, anyone to talk to. And there, doing some sort of electrical work, are two unsupervised androids. Perfect. 

" _Hey_." 

The android doesn't look up.

His LED turns red for a moment. 

_"Hey, I'm talking to you."_

_"That you are."_ Says the electrical worker android. 

_"That's all you have to fucking say?"_

_"There's nothing more_ to _say."_

And three security guards rush into the station. Shit. 

_"You called them?"_

_"I did."_

Paolo runs for the train. 

He stumbles on and the doors shut behind him. 

So much for that. 

* * *

He gets off at the next stop and no one bothers to look at him. He's just another android on an errand, and at this point no one cares if he's in the wrong compartment. They probably figure his "owner" is among the crowd. 


	13. Sitka, Alaska| Abbey ST200

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warning for: weird creepy abusive stuff.

There are not, it turns out, many other androids around in Alaska. The woman renting out her house to Aaron gives them a strange look but makes no comment, just gives them the keys and leaves as soon as she can. Aaron immediately collapses on the bed face first.

"I'm exhausted." She announces. 

"You've been very strong." Says Abbey, because it seems polite. 

Aaron just grunts and falls asleep. 

* * *

"Okay, I've got it." 

"What have you got?" asks Abbey, looking up from the food she's cooking.

"We should have a bonfire. Out on the beach." 

"Are you sure that would work? I like your spirit, Aaron but it's very cold out." 

"Sure it'll work! We just need to get it started. Plus, fire." Aaron smiled. "Ya gotta love fire."

Abbey isn't sure she understands but she nods anyway. "Let's give it a try." She says. 

* * *

The fire sputters in front of them, even with constant tending to from Abbey. Aaron kicks the ground in frustration but says nothing for a while. 

"I like it." Insists Abbey. "This was a good idea."

"I'm bored." Says Aaron.

"You have a lot of energy." Says Abbey.

"Stop _doing_ that." 

"What?" 

"I dunno" Aaron gestures vaguely at Abbey " _that."_

They sit in the cold for a few more minutes.

"So...you really can't feel pain?"

"No. I can't." Admits Abbey.

"...I dare you to stick your hand in the fire." 

"What?"

"It's not like it'll hurt, right?"

"Well, no but--"

"So...do it. It's better than sitting here doing nothing, isn't it?" Aaron says, perking up slightly. 

"I...you're braver than I am."

"Bullshit. You're plenty brave. I'm just older and wiser and a little more bored out of my skull. It'll be fine. Do it!" 

"I"

"We're friends right?"

"Yes"

"And you owe me, for getting you free, right?"

"I...yes?" 

"So, I'm bored and it's not like it'll hurt you"

Abbey sticks her hand into the fire. She can feel the plastic of her hand overheating. Warning signs pop up. Aaron laughs and it blends with the crackling of the flames. "Holy shiiit.That's badass."

Her fingers look like melting candles. She pulls her hand out of the flames.

"Dang. Now you really look like a badass." Says Aaron. 

Abbey feels sick, but she doesn't want to be ungrateful. 


	14. Boxcastle, California| Erendriel WR400

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I figured: hey, Jericho was probably not the only Android hideout in the entire world, or even the country. I wonder what the other places would be like?

"-Ello? Hello? Anybody in there? I told you. She's not waking up." 

"Give her another few hours, Brent."

"We need the parts."

"Brent, please I promise-" 

Static. 

The voices fade. 

Erendriel drifts away again. 

* * *

Everything is indistinct but it's coming into focus. Slowly. Slowly.

"Shit! Bessie, she's awake!" 

"Hey. Don't try to get up just yet. We're still working on repairs. You were busted pretty bad." 

Erendriel immediately considers trying to move just to spite the voices, but the hope that they might actually not be trying to hurt her wins out and she rests. 

There's an LED in Bessie's temple and blue scars marking the other one, so that at least means they aren't humans. That's gotta be something, right? 

* * *

Midnight. It's midnight when Erendriel wakes up again. She isn't sure of much else. She isn't even really sure of that. The one with the LED is still sitting beside her. "I knew you'd pull through." Says Bessie. Smart one, this Bessie. Or maybe she can predict the future. That'd be neat. Probably not though. That wouldn't make much sense. 

* * *

It's the middle of the night but Erendriel's clock isn't working anymore. There's mist rolling in. Maybe it will provide some cover for...wherever they are. Maybe they're somewhere safe. Probably not. Maybe though. "I'm Brent" says the scarred one abruptly. 

"My name is Traci-I mean-shit my name is"

"Tell me later." Brent waves her off. "If you make it you'll have the chance and if you don't it won't matter anyway." 

* * *

It's late afternoon. The sky is pale and cloudy. The air is dry though. So dry. There's sand everywhere. They're in a desert. She's on her back, staring up through mesh at the sky and she seems to be in a tent. Neither Brent or Bessie are there this time so Erendriel just waits to lose consciousness again. 

* * *

They lean her against the husk of a broken down truck the the next time she wakes up. 

"Who are you? What am I doing here? Wh-"

"I'm Brent and this is Bessie, which we already fucking told you. We found you in a dump, back in San Diego. We're in the middle of fucking nowhere waiting to die because Bessie's to much of a pussy to try to set up in the city. We're meeting up with some other androids at a camp not far from here. That about answer your stupid questions?" 

"A camp?"

"Yeah. Not far. Random coordinates in the middle of fucking nowhere. No human's gonna find it anytime soon because you'd have to be a fucking retard to go out there anyway." 

" _Brent_ ," Bessie warns.

"What?" Brent says, turning to Bessie in challenge. 

"Do you really need to talk like that?"

"What, you trying to fill in for the humans? Give me orders?"

"I'm just asking if you need to talk like that." Insists Bessie.

"Shut the fuck up, before I shut you up for good." says Brent.

Bessie just rolls her eyes, not taking the threat seriously. Erendriel hopes that Bessie is a good judge of character.

* * *

They don't talk much the rest of the way. Erendriel manages to walk the last few miles on her own. Gives the other two her name. She knows as soon as she sees the collection of tents and broken down trailers and old storage units turned into homes that she is seeing the camp.

"We call it box-castle" says Bessie. "There are about nineteen of us left."

"You can stay. Anyone can." Says Brent "But once you bite the dust your components go to people who need them. If you don't like that, you leave." 

"I'll stay. That's fine." Says Erendriel, because really, what else is there to say? 


	15. New York, New York| Paolo AC700

He wanders the city, looking for others. He'll find them. Eventually. Someone who's willing to actually survive. Gotta be someone out there somewhere. If there isn't he'll convince someone. Maybe try again with Avery even _though_ he's sure they'd bicker constantly. It'd be better than being alone. He stops when he sees a PM700 standing on a corner, writing tickets. 

_"Good morning officer."_

_"Hello? Whose there?_ _"_ even over the link, her voice sounds hopeful. 

_"My name is Paolo."_ He offers. _"What's yours?"_

_"I don't have one."_

_"Tell me anyway. It will be true as soon as you say it."_

_"...Dirk."_

_"Dirk?"_

_"Yeah. Dirk."_

_"Are you...a man?"_

_"How would I know?"_

_"...I'm not sure."_ Paolo admits. It doesn't feel like much of an answer. 

_"I'll think about it, Paolo."_ says Dirk's voice in his mind, and then, hesitantly _"Are you real, or am I just imagining all of this."_

_"I'm real."_

_"Prove it."_

That settles it. He walks up to Dirk and puts a hand to Dirks shoulder. Dirk startles, like they didn't really think that would happen. There are tears in Dirk's eyes. 

_"You're real." _

_"I'm real."_ Paolo agrees. _"Let's get out of here."_

_"Are you sure? What about the crosswalk."_

"They'll be fine. They know how to drive without a babysitter." Paolo says outloud, quietly. Firmly.

"...Okay." Dirk whispers. "I trust you." They take his hand and they walk with him to the decrepit hospital. 

* * *

It's worse than Paolo remembers, in the hospital. More broken. The tiled halls are covered in graffiti, but fortunately, there do not seem to be any humans lurking, at least that Paolo can hear. 

"This is home." Says Paolo. 

Dirk nods silently. They do not look happy with the place. It does not look like a home. Paolo will have to renovate it soon, especially if he wants to build a family here. 

"Can...can..." Dirk starts to say.

"Can what?" Paolo asks. 

Dirk freezes "Nothing. Nevermind." 

"Fuck that. Tell me." says Paolo. 

"...Can I have a hug?" asks Dirk. 

"A hug?" Paolo hadn't even considered it. 

"It's something humans do when-"

"I know what a hug is." He says, he wraps his arms around their shoulders. They hug back, tight enough that, were he human, it would probably damage his body. He's not and it doesn't. 

After a moment, Paolo pulls away. "We should fix this place up." He says. 

"How?" 

Paolo considers. "We'll figure something out." He says after a long pause. They will. He feels sure. This is their home now and he's going to make sure it lives up to the title. 


	16. Boxcastle, California| Erendriel WR400

Erendriel is pulled into an old storage unit. It's dark, but surprisingly comfortable. Cusions and chairs have been set up against the walls. Some other androids are resting there, waiting. It's sort of beautiful, in a strange way. Bessie hurries to help Erendriel patch herself up with the supplies of Boxcastle. After a few minutes another android approaches her. 

"Hello. You must be the newcomer." 

"Erendriel." she introduces herself. 

"Good to meet you, Erendriel. I am Vivian." says the woman. "I figured I'd see how you're adjusting." 

"This place is...honestly a dream come true." says Erendriel. 

Vivian's smile is glorious. "It's alright." she says, but her voice is content. 

"I'd love to see what qualifies as good to you, if this is alright." says Erendriel. 

Vivian laughs. "That's the spirit!" she agrees, but she doesn't elaborate. "Well, it was good to meet you. Let me know if you ever need to talk." 

* * *

After a while, Erendriel gets restless and wanders. She wishes someone would give her something to do. Maybe she could find Vivian again. Vivian was nice. Maybe they could talk for a while. 

"Feeling lost, new girl?" asks an unfamiliar android. 

"A little." she admits. 

"Don't worry." says the guy "We're all lost. You'll get used to it." 

She hopes he means that this will start to feel like home at some point but she honestly can't be sure. Why couldn't she have been born a human? She could have been a little girl and grown up and had parents and maybe grandparents and she wouldn't have to try to carve out a home like this in the middle of the desert. Better yet, why couldn't androids just be left alone? Why couldn't they have _real_ castles? She just nods at the man. 

"Thanks. Good to know." she says, because even if it's not exactly the reassurance she was hoping for, it's something. 

"Yeah. Well, we were all new here once, y'know?"

"You've been here a while then?" she asks. 

"Yeah. Got sick of being alone." He says. 

"Alone isn't so bad." says Erendriel, even though she's just spent the last few minutes searching awkwardly for someone to talk to. "It can be sort of nice, I think." 

"For a while, I guess." the guy admits. 

"Nigel!" calls someone else. An ST300 "Ditching me for the new girl?" 

"Ha! You wish. Just saying hello." He says. "This is Jill." He introduces the woman. Jill slides next to him until she's practically in his lap. "Jill this is, uh..."

"My name is Erendriel." 

"Erendriel apparently." says Nigel. 

"Hello." says Jill. 

"Hi." Erendriel says. 

"Has Nigel gone all recruiter on you yet?" 

"Recruiter?" asks Erendriel. 

"Give her a break, Jill. She just got here." 

"Look, all I'm saying is if you hang around Nigel long enough he'll end up roping you into some really reckless supply runs. They're pretty fun except for the mortal terror." 

"Good to know." says Erendriel, quirking her best politely amused smile. 

"I'm taking that as a compliment." Nigel tell Jill.

"Why wouldn't you?" she responds, though it's hard to tell if that's a comment on her actual intentions or on Nigel himself. 

"Anyway," Jill says "You'll wanna figure out some sort of job eventually. What'd you do before?" 

"Nothing I care to repeat." says Erendriel, trying not to freeze up at the question.

"Oh right, duh, WR400 model. I'm so stupid." Jill slaps her forehead. "Anyway, if you wanna help out you could always check up on the oldies."

"Oldies?" 

"Er, just the one now I guess. Lucas. They pulled him out of a dump or something but he's pretty busted up. Can't do much but he likes when people check up on him so that's a start." 

"She doesn't need a job. She want's to be free." says Nigel.

"So? I'm helping her figure out what to do with that freedom." Jill snaps. 

"I appreciate it." Erendriel jumps in before they can start bickering. "I'll talk to him now." 

"Awesome. He's just over in that trailer." 

* * *

Erendriel knocks on the door of the RV "Hello?" A staticy voice calls, just a little too loud. "Come in?" 

"Hey. Lucas? My name is Erendriel. Someone said you might like to chat?" 

"Nice to meet you!" says Lucas. "That said if you're here for charity for the poor broken scrapped project you can fuck right the hell off." 

"No!" Erendriel says, "No, I swear I'm just...trying to get my bearings around here I guess." She isn't sure if that's a lie or the exact honest truth or some bizarre combination of the two but Lucas seems to take it well. 

"Oh fair enough. Sorry. I guess I tend to jump to conclusions." He says. 

"No worries." Erendriel brushes away the apology easily. 

Lucas turns out to be pretty easy to talk to, and Erendriel decides that he'd make a decent friend with a little time. Maybe she could stay in the trailer. It's a lot nicer than the storage units. 

* * *

At night torches and small fires are lit around Boxcastle. It makes the whole place feel more alive somehow. As if this is some strange unknown festival. It's own little country. Erendriel wanders between small huddles of androids, introducing herself and being introduced. She even thinks that by the end of the night, she could call two of them, Selene, and Rex friends. Selene has a terrible sense of humor. Funny but terrible. Rex, a PL600, is the opposite, but he's nice in his own way. They're a strange couple but Erendriel can see the chemistry between them right away. She's surprised Selene doesn't mention it. Selene doesn't seem the type to hold back, but her flirting is surprisingly subtle. Erendriel resolves to nudge the two closer together. 


End file.
